The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-10
MOUND euILpgRs or wAor
Interesting Discoveries I'm Otsego Coun

Interesting Discoveries I'm Otsego Coun-
ty, n Y--An Ancient Village Site.
A very remarkable discovery was brought
to light short time ago upon the well known
Slade flats at the junction of the Charlotte
with the Susquehanna, on the south side Of
the latter stream, at n point some two miles
above this village. During the recent high
water a broad current was in some way di-
verted from the main channel across a bench
of aIIuvial land rising two or three feet above
the general level of the neiShboring bank.
The field having been plowed last fall and the
soil to the depth of two feet or more consist
ing mainly of fine alluvium, gully two or
three rods wide and as many feet deep, to the
clay subsoil, was cut clear across the field for
some rods--to a ''binnacle" or overflow put
ting out from the main stream at some dis
lance below. The current does not appear 10
have been very swift, and in consequence OBJ
jects Of some weight contained in the soil
were left behind as the latter filtered away.
For ten days or a fortnight the plowed sec
ton was under water. When the flood sub
sided Mr.. Siade and his paid visit to the
place to ascertain the extent of the damage,
when what was their surprise to note in the
bottom of the new made channel many frag-
ments of rude pottery mingled with flint
chips, arrow and spear points and similar re-
mains. They gathered many, and the news
been visitedby several persons. The site laid
bare by the food is unquestionably that of an
aboriginal village. Altogether some 1000
fragments of pottery have been taken from
few square rods of surface exposed, to-
getber with 100 spear and arrow points
many of them of unusual forn-several flint
drills, as many sharpening stones, two small
granite axes, numerous "sinkers," etc Sew
eral ancient fireplaees, of river cobbles, bed
a -
which peck Of charcoal fragments was ex-
humet- The pottery, several pieces of which
show an exterior surface of three four
square inches, is both plain and ornamental,
the latter in most intricate design. One
fragment shows a human face but straight
lines, variously combined, and curious punct-
ured patterns are the prevailing type. Rims
and edges. being the thickest and least perish
able portions, abound in the collections made.
The plain pottery Is remarkably hard and
well preserved, and in both plain AMI orna-
nenteal the inside surface is in most cases of
"A black color, in strong contrast to the brick
red or chocolate hue of the exterior.
The top soil in the neighborhood abounds in
Indian relics, arrow and spear heads, ''ham-
mer stones" and the like, but it contains no
sign of this pottery. Tradition runs that
there was an Indian village in the locality.
I;ut it might well have existed two feet above
the level laid bare by the food For there is
nothing to prove that the soil had before
been disturbed for ages. IL indeed this be
the site of tue Indian village, then is it tc be
said that there can hardly exist that differ
cnce between the Indians and the mysterious
mound builders which has been commonly
supposed, for the pottery obtained on the
Siale flats is precisely the same as the pottery
exhumsd in western mounds.
1t may be remarked in connection with this
subject that a so called ''Indian moundn ex-
i,ts ON Walling's Island not far below this an
sent village site; that there is another near
the mouth of the Otsego creek, third at Sid
ney and fourth I'm the Unadilla valley
Oneonta Herald